The Cancer Diet – Making It Easy

Posted in Category(ies): Cancer, Food, Health, Healthy Eating, Lifestyle, Uncategorized, Vegetarian

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The Cancer Diet- Making It Easy

Eating to prevent cancer or to boost your immune system during you battle with the disease before or after chemo, radiation, or instead of… whichever your choice it doesn't need to be difficult. If you are accustomed to eating the typical north American diet of animal meats and fats, and fast foods and sugar, then this may be a big switch for you.

If someone tells me that it is too difficult, too much trouble, too hard to change their eating habits, then I say you must want your disease.  You can choose live giving foods and supplements that come from real god given nutritious food, or choose dead, chemical laden, fat drenched fast food. Now, don't think I am being judgmental… I am not. I am battling my own demons with a desperate craving for sugar, and it is incredibly hard to find time to exercise every day. So I KNOW exactly how you feel.

So just how easy can it be to eat the life giving "Cancer Diet" way? It's as easy as the nearest grocery store, health food store, farmer's market and the internet! Fresh vegetables and fruits grown organically and locally if at all possible, fresh, dried and/or powdered mushrooms, green tea in loose leaf form, dried  and/or raw nuts, seeds and fruit, legumes (beans) and olive oil… these are the things that make up an anti-cancer diet. Add some  supplements like CoQ10, Vitamin D, B Vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids, and iron if you don't eat meat, alkalized water and liquid zeolite to remove heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides, and viral particles to round off your nutrition, exercise daily, and limit meat and meat products, sugar and grains.

Does that sound hard? Well perhaps I could give you and idea of how that looks. It is summer here in Canada, so we (finally) have access to a seemingly endless supply of fresh locally grown produce. I visit the local farmer's stand and stock up. Fresh strawberries and blueberries are brought home.. some are eaten and some are bagged and put in the deep freeze for the winter months. Tomatoes by the bushel along with peppers, celery, onions, fresh pressed garlic, cilantro and lime… all thrown together in the food processor, and minced for salsa. This fresh raw salsa will be frozen in small containers, and of course some will be eaten. Fresh picked green and yellow beans eaten raw (and some blanched … dipped in boiling water and then cold water… and bagged for the deep freeze. Beets AND beet tops, fresh carrots, red and green chard, spinach and other leafy greens come into the house and are steamed and served with vinegar and sea salt. Green and yellow zucchinis, fresh onions, snap peas in the pod… these make a great stir fry. Corn on the cob as an occasional treat is so good picked straight out of the field. Peaches, pears, apples, plums, … all of these are grown locally as well.

Often when people find out I am vegetarian they will ask,  "What do you eat?". I always smile a bit… well first of all I sure don't look undernourished, but aside from that, what I have listed above is just a small sampling of nature's bounty available to you if you just change your mind a bit about what food is, and learn some new kitchen skills.

The difference between a flavorful, robust vegetarian meal, and one that tastes limp, boring or bland to a former meat eater is something called "umami". Umami is (a fairly recently discover) fifth taste. It is usually present in meat and gives food body. Thankfully there are several foods available to vegetarians that have umami. These are the foods you should always try to have in an an anti-cancer kitchen. Thankfully they are all loaded with anti-oxidants, and other cancer fighting components, so they not only make your food taste better!

Umami is found in asparagus, tomato, soy or tamari sauce, mushrooms, wine, cheeses (sparingly), green tea, and is multiplied several fold when used in combination. Learn how to cook dishes including at least 2 umami based foods, and your meals will be much more satisfying, and easier to stick to.

Eating your anti-cancer diet should be easy too. Raw fruits and vegetables require very little prep time. Wash and serve, or wash, slice and serve. Prepared meals call for a little more planning. when I am chopping for one meal, I will often chop extra and have it in the fridge for quick grabs. I always have a container of veggies chopped in the fridge. My teens will take some to work for lunch as a salad, and I use them in stir fries, soups, and toppings for our Friday night pizza.

Mushrooms you should have on hand in a number of different forms, and eat some every day, either raw, cooked in meals or sprinkled into sandwiches, soups and sauces and stir fries. There have been many studies done, particularly on the so called chinese medicinal mushrooms, that prove that they have substances in them that support the immune system, suppress tumor growth, and so much more. It is so easy, even if you live in a rural area like I do, to get whatever you need. Mushrooms… this is a good example. I have cordyceps and red reishi mushroom powder, shitake dried whole, porcini dried sliced, and wild mushroom  mix of maitake, porcini, agaricus and woodear, dried and broken, I also have agaricus blazei in liquid concentrate. We eat them in, or on, something every day. I ordered them on Ebay! Just do a search on ebay for any of the kinds I listed and you will find some that come from USA, Canada or China.

I hope you find that choosing life will be a rewarding (and tasteful) experience.

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Shelley Penney is a RN (retired) with a keen interest in health, peace and abundance.
Shelley has penned several e-books, currently runs several successful business ventures
from her home office, and has time to write, meditate, travel, and spend time with her
family. Visit Shelley at http://www.shelleypenney.com for interesting articles and
stimulating discussion.
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» Filed Under Cancer, Food, Health, Healthy Eating, Lifestyle, Uncategorized, Vegetarian

One Response to “The Cancer Diet – Making It Easy”

1. Rick Says:
   April 26th, 2011 at 11:15 am

   Hello Shelly,
   These are wonderful Tips!
   We are looking for a couple great recipe contributions for our readers. And would enjoy your input as a vegetarian. If you have a couple recipes you would like to share find us at http://www.ccancer.org

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